Most CRM strategies are obsolete. Yours too?
The functionality of CRM software determines CRM strategies. In this article, I explain why many companies are following strategies that have become obsolete.
Measuring customer satisfaction: SMEs are lagging
Research shows that SMEs measure satisfaction less frequently than larger companies. In this article, we provide a clear explanation based on published research.
An interactive window that surfs on recovery
The store window is an essential component of any successful store. Yet, they are rarely designed to be interactive. The Jamini store in Paris is. And it is even more successful for being part of a neighborhood initiative.
The downside of participative marketing
Co-creation can be an interesting marketing approach for strengthening ties with customers. However, it is important to consider the possible negative effects of such a project. The example analyzed in this article demonstrates this.
Net Promoter Score (NPS): a reliable measure of customer satisfaction?
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is universally used to measure customer satisfaction. However, it was created for another purpose. Find out in this article whether the NPS is dependable and its limitations.
Customer satisfaction: top managers should talk to their customers
Top management is often detached from customer reality. Jeff Bezos (Amazon) and Ryanair have implemented organizational solutions to put customer satisfaction at the center of their concerns.
Mystery calling: a faithful reflection of customer satisfaction?
Scientific research sheds light on the limitations of mystery calling/mystery shopping for measuring customer satisfaction.
Customer satisfaction: priority to reducing waiting times
Waiting time has an impact on customer satisfaction. Research published in 2023 reveals 3 specific findings that help companies understand how to manage waiting time to maximize customer satisfaction.
Customer satisfaction: issues and challenges in the post-covid era
What are the challenges of customer satisfaction? Can we still build customer loyalty? This is a reasonable question to ask. Indeed, we can observe a return of transactional marketing to the detriment of relational marketing, prevalent since the 90s. With the erasure of human relationships announced by automated stores and Facebook’s metaverses, what will be left in the future to build customer loyalty? If you only have 30 seconds The increasing digitalization of our society, accelerated by the...
Customer satisfaction: the beginning of a radical change for Ryanair?
Ryanair is not known for the quality of its customer service nor its interest in customer satisfaction. It sometimes provokes very violent reactions from dissatisfied customers. However, the Irish airline has just announced the creation of a Customer Advisory Panel to improve its service. Could this be a change in Ryanair’s marketing strategy? It is indeed not the first time that Ryanair gives voice to its customers. But Ryanair’s strategic position is unique after the Covid crisis, and the...
Customer satisfaction and paid customer service: a contradiction?
There was a time when customer service was the cornerstone of customer satisfaction. But the Covid crisis happened, and some companies, which were used to being different thanks to a free service, had to rethink their strategy. This is the case of BNP Paribas, who announced, at the end of January 2021, that access to customer service advisors would become subject to a fee. Is it still possible to satisfy the customer under these conditions? Is free customer service...
StopAmazon: a movement that lacks meaning
A movement is developing, StopAmazon, in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, to denounce Amazon’s takeover of the e-commerce. This movement takes different forms, such as calls for boycotts or demonstrations against the establishment of new distribution centers. The #StopAmazon movement is vain, unfounded, and I’m afraid I have to disagree with the arguments put forward by the opponents. Why is this? The opponents of Amazon are attacking the symptoms and not the reasons for the...
Net Promoter Score (NPS) : to include in all satisfaction surveys or not?
How to design a customer satisfaction survey? An in particular, should a NPS (Net Promoter Score) question always be included in a satisfaction survey? While we at IntoTheMinds highly recommend to do so, I had to to re-think my position last week when I saw a post on Linkedin that argued a NPS question in a Microsoft satisfaction survey was nonsense because people don’t actually speak or recommend operating systems. Let’s dig into this question and...
The fishbowl helps increase satisfaction and loyalty in restaurants
Most upscale restaurants are by now equipped with a “fishbowl”, reserved for VIP and the best clients of the restaurants. Have you ever heard about this ? If not, read further … A marketing tool to increase satisfaction and loyalty The fishbowl is a remarkable tool that will make your customers feel unique and will increase loyalty and word-of-mouth. Fishbowls don’t exist officially : they are tiny spaces for one table located within the kitchen of...
Complaint management: an example you should NOT follow
As you may know our agency is working a lot on complaint handling and complaint management practices. Handling complaints well proves to be very rewarding in terms of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Make sure you listen to the podcast we recorded with Prof. Davidow in March 2020 on this topic. Prof. Davidow is one of the world’s most renown experts as far as complaint handling is concerned. To offer recommendations to organizations we study actual complaints...
Increasing customer satisfaction through expectations management
Managing expectations is key to increase (or just ensure) customer satisfaction. In this article we explore bit the mechanism of expectation creation based on one actual example : Coolblue How do expectations influence customer satisfaction You’ve experienced already it : you purchased something on the internet. You’ve been waiting several days on the delivery and when it arrives, you unwrap the parcel and you’re disappointed by what you just saw. This mechanism is called “expectation disconfirmation”...
Videos are excellent (and effective ways) to complain
In an earlier post we talked about David Carroll, a musician whose guitar was broken by United Airlines. The company proved very bad at managing his complaint and he found no other way than to compose a song (eventually seen by millions of people) to get his complaint addressed. It was shown to be effective (United Airlines compensated him) and seems to have inspired another complainant in France. If you want to learn more on effective...
